Hinge Using Composite Materials

ABSTRACT

A multi-function case and support for an electronic device, such as a tablet computer. The case may be adapted to support the tablet in a variety of configurations, such as similar to a laptop computer configuration, and as a raised support. The case may also protect the electronic device from rough contact and other wear. In the raised support configuration, the case and support may be adapted to allow for rotation of the tablet from a landscape to a portrait attitude.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/186,743 to Hale, filed Jul. 20, 2011, claimed priority to U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/366,940 to Hale, filed Jul. 23,2010, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, andwhich claimed priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.61/422,124 to Hale, filed Dec. 10, 2010, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device case and a flexible supportapparatus, adapted to support an item mounted in the device case in avariety of configurations.

2. Description of Related Art

Modern portable electronic devices, such as tablet computing devices,are not well adapted to be positioned other than on a flat surface, withthe screen facing directly vertically. These items are typically flat,rectangular objects which may be difficult to place in an appropriateposition for hands-free use while viewing. They may also be of asomewhat environmentally and impact sensitive nature.

Such devices may be enhanced with the use of a protective case whichaffords impact protection for the device. The use of a tablet device maybe enhanced with the use of a support structure. What is called for is aprotective case that may also function as a mounting apparatus. What isalso called for is a case for a tablet device which allows the supportor mounting of the tablet device in multiple configurations.

SUMMARY

A multi-function case and support for an electronic device, such as atablet computer. The case may be adapted to support the tablet in avariety of configurations, such as similar to a laptop computerconfiguration, and as a raised support. The case may also protect theelectronic device from rough contact and other wear. In the raisedsupport configuration, the case and support may be adapted to allow forrotation of the tablet from a landscape to a portrait attitude.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a device case and support in a closed configurationaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a device case and support in a closed configurationaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a device case and support in a closed configurationaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 illustrates a device case and support in a closed configurationaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates a device case and support in a closed configurationaccording to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a device case and support in a partially openconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a device case and support in a partially openconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a device case and support in a partially openconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates a device case and support in a partially openconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates a device case and support in a first deployedconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 illustrates a device case and support in a first deployedconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 illustrates a device case and support in a first deployedconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 illustrates a device case and support in a first deployedconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 illustrates a device case and support in a second deployedconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 illustrates a device case and support in a second deployedconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 illustrates a device case and support in a second deployedconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 illustrates a device case and support in a third deployedconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 illustrates a device case and support in a third deployedconfiguration according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 19 illustrates a device case according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 20 illustrates a device case according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 21 illustrates a device case according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 22 illustrates a device case according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 23 illustrates a device case according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 24 illustrates a device case according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 25 illustrates a device case according to a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 26 illustrates a multitude of views of a device case according to asecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 27 illustrates a multitude of views of a device case according to asecond embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate the stowed configuration 200 of case and supportassembly 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention.In some embodiments, the electronic device is a tablet computing device.The electronic device may also be another device. The electronic device110 may have a screen 111.

In some embodiments, the case and support assembly 100 is adapted to bea protective cover as well as a support for viewing the electronicdevice, which may be a tablet, in a variety of positions. When in thestowed configuration 200, the case and support assembly may still allowaccess to aspects of the device via slots or openings in the rim 105,which may be used to operate the device, or for other reasons.

As seen in FIG. 2, a rear section 104 covers over portions of the rearof the case and support assembly 100. The rear section 104 may beadapted to fit around a rear support 106, which is the bridge betweenthe main hinge 101 and the rotary joint 102. The rear section 104 isconnected on a first end to the main hinge 101. The main hinge 101 thusprovides rotation between the rear support 106 and the rear section 104.The main hinge may be adapted to have an adjustment such that thefriction in the main hinge is sufficient to hold the case and supportassembly in positions set by the user.

A flexible intermediate section 107 is adapted to provide anintermediate section between the front cover section 103 and the rearsection 104. In some embodiments, the front cover section 103 and therear section 104 may be a somewhat more rigid material, while theintermediate section 107 may be more flexible, to allow for bending intoa variety of positions in order to support different caseconfigurations. The flexible intermediate portion 107 may extend from aposition 131 on the rear section to a position 120 on the front coversection 103, allowing for a much larger flexible portion than just atthe bend area in this stowed position 200.

In the stowed configuration, a tablet may be in the device receiverportion, and the rear section 104 may be snug against the rear of thedevice receiver, with the front cover closed snugly over the front ofthe tablet. A latch 130 is adapted to fasten the case and supportassembly in the stowed configuration.

FIGS. 6-9 illustrate the case and support assembly in a partially openedconfiguration, as it may be when transitioning from a stowedconfiguration to one of the deployed configurations. The front coversection 103 is seen unlatched and lifted off of the tablet 110 whichresided within the case and support assembly in the stowed position. Asthe case and support assembly is opened, the rear section 104 may bepulled from the back of the device receiver 122. The rear support 106may be adapted to fit within a cutout in the rear section 104. As thecase and support assembly is opened, the front of the tablet 110 becomesaccessible and may be operated by the user.

FIGS. 10-13 illustrate the case and support assembly 100 in a firstdeployed configuration 201. The tablet 110 with its screen 111 ismounted within the device receiver 122. A rim, or series of rim portions108 of the device receiver may have a lip 112 which helps hold thetablet 110 in place.

The rear surface 114 of the rear section 104 may be placed on a table ordesk or other suitable surface, including the lap of the user. The frontcover 103 have been removed from the front of the tablet 110 and foldedover onto the inside of the rear section 104. The flexible intermediatesection 107 has been folded such that the front cover 103 may be placedover the rear section 104. The main hinge 101 has been placed into aposition such that the angle 113 between the tablet 110 and the baseprovides a desired angle for the user.

The rotary hinge 102 between the rear support 106 and the devicereceiver 122 allows the tablet to be rotated, as from a portraitposition to a landscape position.

FIGS. 14-16 illustrate a second deployed configuration 202 according tosome embodiments of the present invention. As seen, the rear section 104and the front cover section 103 have been formed along with the flexibleintermediate section 107 to create a base 135 for the tablet 110 withinthe device receiver 122. In this second deployed configuration, theflexible intermediate portion 107 has been folded at the position 131 onthe rear section and the position 120 on the front cover section 103,which represent the transition from the relatively rigid to therelatively flexible portions of the rear section and the front coversection, respectively.

As seen in FIG. 17, the device receiver 122 and tablet 110 may berotated to accommodate the needs of the user.

In some embodiments, the case and support assembly 100 may bepredominantly of a composite aluminum material with a polypropylene coreand aluminum skins. Using this material, the rear section, flexibleintermediate section, and the front cover section may be constructed ofa single piece of such a material. For the flexible intermediatesection, the aluminum skins may be removed, such as with machining, andthus provide the different stiffness properties of the differentsections.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, as seen in FIG. 19, acase and support assembly may use another configuration. In thisembodiment, a portion of one layer of the device case folds away fromthe panel in which it sometimes resides in order to form a support. Thefold away portion may be inserted into slots on the adjoining panel toform a stable base as shown.

In some embodiments, a front section may have an outer front section 306and an inner section 305. The outer front section 306 and inner frontsection 305 may form a single front section which acts as a front coverfor an electronic device when the case and support assembly are in astowed configuration. When in an open configuration, the inner frontsection may snap out of the outer front section allowing the inner frontsection to interlock with the outer rear section 304, forming a base ofa support structure. As illustrated in FIG. 19 in a deployedconfiguration, the case is used as a support structure which may holdthe tablet device above a surface. Also, the tablet may be rotated froma portrait to a landscape use.

FIGS. 20 and 21 illustrate a configuration wherein the panels are foldedupon each other, with the device receiver able to be set at an angleusing the hinge as seen. The case and support system 300 allows for arelatively simple protective case to be used as a relatively complexsupport system, with a variety of support configurations. In addition tothe deployed configuration of FIG. 19, with its options of landscape orportrait viewing, another support configuration is seen in FIGS. 20 and21, allowing for support of the tablet closer to the supporting surface.In the use configuration of FIG. 21, the tablet 310 resides in thedevice receiver 301. The device receiver may have a rim around some orall sides adapted to receive and clamp or snap around the tablet withthe use of a lip, for example. The rotary joint 303 attaches the innerrear section to the device receiver, and the inner rear section may behinged somewhat from the outer rear section to allow for a slightraising while viewing the tablet. The front section has been pulled awayfrom the front of the tablet and is folded under by the bending of thesecond hinge 207.

FIG. 22 illustrates the case in a closed configuration with a tabletinside. The front section has its front inner section 305 and its frontouter section 306 attached together with a snap 311 adapted to keep thefront inner section 305 and its front outer section 306 together andcoplanar while closed. The closed case is an excellent protective casefor the tablet, or for other items. In some embodiments, the case ismade using a multi-layer material such as a polypropylene core withaluminum skins The metal skins provide excellent protection when used asa cover in addition to providing strength and stiffness for the supportwhen used as a support. Although not shown in FIG. 22 for clarity, ascreen cover may be mounted within the front outer section 306 and be ofa soft material appropriate for covering the device screen while thecase is closed. The screen cover may be sized such that it is adapted tocover the entire screen of the device. In some embodiments, there may bemagnets embedded within or under the screen cover adapted to interfacewith magnetic switching of the device held by the device receiver. Also,as the rotary joint 303 may allow for the device to be stowed in twopositions (180 degrees apart), the magnets may be placed in two placesin the screen cover to allow functionality, such as turning the deviceon or off, in either of the rotated positions.

FIGS. 22-25 illustrate an unfolding sequence which may be used to arriveat the configurations seen in FIG. 19. FIGS. 23-25 illustrate thedeployment of the case as it is put into the upright deployedconfiguration. The front section, consisting of the front inner section305 and the front outer section 306, is folded away from the top of thetablet device. The hinge 307 may be the polypropylene core of thecomposite material which may be used as the primary case material insome embodiments. In the area of this hinge, the metal skins of thecomposite material may be removed. As seen in FIG. 23, the inner frontsection 305 may be snapped away from the outer front section 306 andfolded out. This hinge area may also be an area where the skins of thecomposite sandwich material may have been removed. The tablet in thedevice receiver, and the inner rear section, are shown somewhat deployedfrom the outer rear section. The first hinge 305 may be a frictionalhinge adapted to support the weight of the tablet in a desired positionwithout slipping. In some embodiments, there may be access ports 330,331 in the case located appropriately to allow access to functionalitiesof the device supported by the case.

As seen in FIGS. 24 and 25, the inner front portion may be used to forma support between the outer front portion, which may be used as asupport base, and the outer rear portion. Tabs 320 on the inner rearfront portion may engage slots 321 on the on the outer rear portion toform a coherent support for the tablet. The first hinge may be africtional hinge adapted to hold the tablet, housed in the devicereceiver, in a fixed position set by the user.

FIGS. 26 and 27 illustrate a plurality of views of this embodiment.

As evident from the above description, a wide variety of embodiments maybe configured from the description given herein and additionaladvantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in theart. The invention in its broader aspects is, therefore, not limited tothe specific details and illustrative examples shown and described.Accordingly, departures from such details may be made without departingfrom the spirit or scope of the applicant's general invention.

I claim:
 1. A hinge comprising; a composite material, said compositematerial comprising: a rigid top layer; a flexible middle layer; and arigid bottom layer, wherein said rigid top layer is removed along thetop of said composite material along a first line, and wherein saidrigid bottom layer is removed along the bottom of said compositematerial along said first line, creating a hinge line in said compositematerial along said first line.
 2. The hinge of claim 1 wherein saidrigid top layer and said rigid bottom layer comprise metal.
 3. The hingeof claim 2 wherein said rigid top layer and said rigid bottom layercomprise aluminum.
 4. The hinge of claim 2 wherein said flexible middlelayer comprises polypropylene.
 5. The hinge of claim 3 wherein saidflexible middle layer comprises polypropylene.